Abstract

This paper examines protection racketeering in Cape Town, primarily in the central business district (CBD) and on the Cape Flats. While significant security initiatives have been undertaken in the city's CBD since 1999, protection racketeering still flourishes. This suggests that it is more than a mere reflection of deficiencies in state capacity, and that other factors should also be taken into account. This paper explains protection racketeering and contextualises its development in Cape Town.